The role of the provinces
The true role of the provinces is being obscured
THE budgets of all the provinces are now in having been presented before their respective provincial assemblies, with only a fortnight to spare for passage so that the next financial year starts with the provinces able to pay the provincial employees their salaries None of the provinces has taken any particular step which would indicate that they have taken any particular measure which is not centrally directed The problem is that the main face of the government that the citizens are supposed to see is that of the province He is supposed to be
There educated at a government school then college go to a government hospital if he falls sick and if he is unlucky enough to be murdered, his heirs will go to the police, and the case will be tried in a court system provided by the province The citizen will basically be in touch with the federal government through the National Database and Registration Authority, who will then connect him to the Central Board of Revenue
The structure of government is still the same as under the British Raj The East India Company initially set up three factories at Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, and these factories then developed great provinces around them, called presidency provinces In the 16th century the Governor at Calcutta was also the Viceroy The Bengal Presidency began to break up the larger it grew, which was because the Raj was expanding When the Punjab was taken over by the Bengal Presidency a Lieutenant-Governor was appointed but he was independent except as much as he answered to the Viceroy Thus provinces acted as the fonts of authority, with the central government performing a sort of coordinating role Partition seems to have ended this autonomy on both sides of the border with the main issue being the mutual division of finances
Now, well over seven decades after the first post-Independence budgets were presented the issues seem not to have been resolved The provinces still seem to be short of the funds they need to deliver the services they are supposed to provide The taxes they have are inelastic, and they are only going ahead with an agricultural income tax
There is much to be done on resource distribution The federal-provincial split has been frozen, and this has caused rumblings of discontent, with the latest to join the chorus being Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb However the proper forum to settle the basis of distribution is a National Finance Commission, which only the federal government can summon
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The
Eof intense humananimal contact
Alongside the festive preparations experts warn of a silent menace: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) commonly known as the Congo virus CCHF is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever carried by Hyalomma ticks on livestock, and it is endemic in Pakistan The World Health Organization notes that CCHF has a case fatality rate of up to 40 percent The virus spreads through tick bites or contact with infected animal blood or tissues especially during slaughter Human-to-human transmission can also occur via contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids, placing healthcare workers and family members at risk Symptoms begin suddenly fever headache muscle pain and nausea often progressing to rash and bleeding from the gums or under the skin In severe cases organ failure and death may occur by the second week There is no approved vaccine for CCHF in humans or animals, and antivirals like ribavirin remain controversial in effectiveness WHY EID-UL-ADHA HEIGHTENS THE RISK In Pakistan CCHF cases spike during the summer and Eid-ul-Adha period A study by local physicians found that 58–62 percent of annual cases occurred around Eid dates Millions of livestock are moved from rural farms into urban areas often carrying ticks in their thick coats This combined with prolonged humananimal contact and hot tick-friendly weather amplifies the threat Data from Aga Khan University shows that over 40 percent of confirmed CCHF cases occurred between July to September overlapping with Eid What Is CCHF and Where Does It Come From?
CCHF was first documented in Crimea (1944) and the Congo (1956) and is caused by a nairovirus in the Bunyaviridae family [1] Livestock usually don t show symptoms, but
N a dramatic display of precision warfare and strategic preemption, Israel launched a preemptive strike on Iran in what has been named Operation Rising Lion Orchestrated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and executed by Brigadier General Effi Defen of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this audacious air campaign was aimed squarely at crippling Iran s nuclear capabilities and curbing its expanding influence through regional proxies This operation, while militarily focused, has set off geopolitical tremors that extend far beyond the Middle East carrying profound implications for global security diplomacy and military preparedness
At the core of Operation Rising Lion lay a singular objective: to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear breakout capability Intelligence reports indicated that Iran had accumulated sufficient uranium for up to nine nuclear bombs and was rapidly enhancing its ballistic missile systems raising alarm in Tel Aviv about the possibility of a nuclear-tipped missile arsenal under Tehran s control Coupled with Iran s active support for militant proxies such as Hezbollah Hamas, and the Houthis, Israel deemed the risk of inaction unacceptable Rather than wait for a confrontation or a miscalculated provocation, Israel resorted to a doctrine of strategic preemption consistent with its long-held belief in eliminating existential threats before they materialize The scale and complexity of the operation suggest careful planning high-grade intelligence and state-of-the-art military integration
'Operation Rising Lion' was executed with the precision and sophistication that have become hallmarks of Israeli air campaigns An estimated 30 to 60 aircraft including F-35I Adir stealth fighters F-15I Ra am bombers and Gulfstream Sa ar SIGINT aircraft participated in the strike with electronic warfare units jamming Iranian radar systems and cyber
operations blinding early-warning defenses The operation occurred at dawn a calculated choice to exploit the transition between night and day complicating detection and response Key nuclear facilities Natanz Khondab and Khorramabad were severely damaged, with Natanz reportedly out of operation due to sustained bombing and massive fires Secondary military targets near Tehran including missile storage depots and airbases were also hit Perhaps most notably several highranking officials including IRGC Commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientist Fereydoon Abbasi Davani, were reportedly killed Despite the scale of the operation, civilian casualties were minimal, a result of targeted precision strikes and operational intelligence that allowed the IDF to focus on military installations Iran s failure to repel the Israeli offensive revealed glaring weaknesses in its defence systems The much-vaunted Bavar-373 and S-300 air defense systems failed to detect, much less intercept, the stealth fighters Electronic jamming and cyber operations had effectively blinded Iranian early-warning radars Adding to this was an evident intelligence failure Iran appeared completely unprepared for the strike a remarkable lapse considering its otherwise robust counterintelligence capabilities Iran s overconfidence in its defensive posture and its recent aggressive rhetoric boasting that it could strike Israel within a week contributed to its
nerability This hubris now proven misplaced could lead to a fundamental reassessment of Iranian military doctrine and defense posture The international community s response was fragmented and subdued The USA, having been informed in advance, reportedly approved the operation, although it distanced itself from direct involvement European powers, notably France and
Operation Rising Lion has changed the strategic calculus in the Middle East But beyond the immediate battlefield, it also offers a textbook example of modern military doctrine, intelligence-based warfare, and geopolitical maneuvering The international community must urgently intervene to deescalate tensions before the situation deteriorates further Israel as Frankenstein must be held accountable for its whimsical deeds The world is watching and diplomacy, not military confrontation, remains the only viable path to preventing a catastrophic regional war
A H i d d e n T h r e a t i n E i d ’ s S h a d o w
humans may develop severe hemorrhagic illness Hyalomma ticks act as both reservoir and vector able to transmit the virus for months after feeding on infected animals
Those most at risk include farmers, butchers and veterinarians yet Eid brings non-professionals into close contact with blood and tissues As one study observed: The vast increase in animal slaughter during Eid-ul-Adha provides ample contact time between humans and animals for transmission of the virus CCHF has been recorded in Pakistan since 1976 with outbreaks reported nearly every year Between 2014 and 2020 365 confirmed cases were reported with a 25 percent fatality rate Balochistan remains a hotbed due to its border with Afghanistan, where the virus is also endemic RECENT OUTBREAKS IN PAKISTAN
The 2023–2024 period witnessed a troubling rise By late 2023 112 cases were reported nationwide many among healthcare workers a clear sign of hospital-based transmission gaps In Quetta Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital admitted 30 patients in 2024, with six fatalities In response, the Balochistan government launched a fumigation drive and prepped blood supplies ahead of Eid 2025 In May 2024 a 22-year-old animal trader from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa died of CCHF weeks ahead of the usual seasonal rise Punjab s Attock district declared a livestock emergency after two deaths, banning local cattle markets and disinfecting pens In short, recent cases were reported across at least four provinces confirming Eidul Azha as the peak CCHF season REGIONAL COMPARISONS
The Congo virus is not just a Pakistani concern In Iraq, WHO-EMRO recorded 986 cases between 2021 and 2023, with a 17 percent casefatality rate 109 of those cases occurred just before Eidul Azha 2023 Iran Turkey and Afghanistan face similar seasonal surges The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) which includes Pakistan is among the most CCHF-affected globally after Turkey and Iran GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE In April 2025, the NIH issued an Eid advisory urging provinces to strengthen surveillance stock PPE and raise awareness Khyber Pakhtunkhwa set up isolation units and free
Eid-ul-Adha embodies faith, compassion and community but it also amplifies risk for zoonotic diseases like CCHF With seasonal conditions, animal movement, and festive slaughter aligning perfectly, the Congo virus exploits this window By improving surveillance, investing in hospital preparedness, and educating both public and professionals, Pakistan can reduce the annual surge and protect lives without compromising the spirit of Eid
PCR testing In Islamabad, over 100 unauthorized cattle markets were shut, and animals relocated to regulated sites with veterinary presence Balochistan distributed gloves and masks to butchers and initiated disinfectant campaigns Still challenges remain: rural hospitals lack isolation wards and PPE and training for health workers is inconsistent, exposing cracks in the national strategy PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PREPAREDNESS
Despite government action awareness is uneven A 2018 report found that most buyers and sellers in cattle markets were unaware of the tick-borne nature of the disease While some rural communities recognize CCHF, they often lack protective equipment or acaricides Urban residents focused on the sacrifice seldom consider health risks Even among medical staff training gaps have led to hospital-based transmission PREVENTIVE MEASURES SIMPLE STEPS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RISK:
1 Protective Clothing: Wear gloves, masks long sleeves and boots when handling animals
2 Tick Control: Inspect animals especially ears and groin and apply vet-approved acaricides
3 Sanitation: Clean slaughter sites and tools; dispose of offal and blood safely
4 Regulated Slaughter Sites: Use certified venues with veterinary checks and sanitation
Personal Hygiene: Wash thoroughly post-slaughter; seek medical help for symptoms within two weeks
zoonotic
and
The writer is
Narrative wars
Declaration
Moreover while Trump condones the atrocities being committed by Israeli Zionists against the Palestinians he accuses South Africa of perpetrating a so-called ‘white genocide’ an allegation for which there is hardly any credible evidence The irony is glaring and the behaviour deeply idiosyncratic for a world leader
Trump uses history selectively based on his political convenience In his various books renowned scholar Edward Said explained how the West creates a simplified narrative about the East thus diminishing Muslims sufferings and exaggerating the West s moral authority
What Trump does is not isolated; it is part of a larger system of selective morality and ideologically aligned geopolitics By dismissing genuine anti-colonial struggles, like the ones in Palestine and Kashmir, and hyping up invented fears, like white genocide, Trump reinforces racist and imperialist frameworks Thucydides, in The History of the Peloponnesian War, argues that the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must When Trump calls the situation in South Africa a ‘white genocide’, he only echoes far-right conspiracy theories, often tweeted and voiced by none other than Musk At the same time, he ignores real genocide in Gaza because the victims are brown and Muslim a community often dehumanised in Western media This is simply white ethno-nationalist rhetoric
Parts of Western media that had hitherto seemed impervious to criticism for open support of Israel have now turned against the latter Until recently they including the talkative Piers Morgan framed the Gaza conflagration as a conflict not a colonial occupation or genocide In his book The Wretched of the Earth Frantz Fanon explains how colonial powers justify their violence by dehumanising the colonised Benjamin Netanyahu has done just that even earning the label of
Congo virus is a silent accompanying menace
M A HossAin
Pseemed to be able to find stability However, things took a significant turn in 2025 In addition to persevering Pakistan came out stronger more self-assured and resolved to change its place in the world Pakistan s resilience and resurgence finally caught the attention of the world, which had previously regarded it with suspicion As tensions in the region escalated the pivotal moment occurred India miscalculated its actions in early 2025 after years of aggressive posturing and aggressive rhetoric had given it more confidence Pakistan reacted decisively and precisely when unprovoked Indian aggression crossed the threshold India was diplomatically cornered and militarily degraded within hours of Pakistan s measured but effective retaliation New Delhi quickly called for a ceasefire marking a dramatic reversal Long dominated by Indian propaganda, the story started to fall apart Pakistan s long-silenced truth reached a global audience, bringing Kashmir into the public eye for the first time in years not because of India s accusations The world started to doubt India s story and pay attention to the voices of Kashmir which had been silenced for many years Although Pakistan's military might was a major factor in this strategic triumph, the
country's overall change was just as important Afghanistan officially joined the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase 2 marking a significant milestone on the western frontier In addition to improving regional connectivity, this agreement reinterpreted Pakistan's geographic importance Conflict-free, Pakistan emerged as a crucial land link to developing markets and international trade routes Afghanistan s stability improved Pakistan s security and created opportunities for previously unheard-of economic cooperation Breakthroughs in diplomacy went beyond Afghanistan Following years of complicated and occasionally tense relations Iran and Pakistan decided to work closely together to stop cross-border militancy More significantly Tehran pledged to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion, indicating a new phase of mutual trust and economic cooperation between the two neighbors Joint economic projects, high-level visits, and investment summits demonstrated how Pakistan s diplomatic skill was shifting the balance of power in the region By agreeing to pay $4 6 billion to buy Pakistan's domestic JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, Azerbaijan became a strategic partner in the Caucasus Baku also promised $2 billion in additional investments strengthening a broad partnership that went beyond defence In the Gulf Kuwait acknowledged Pakistan s skilled workforce as a valuable asset and reopened its doors to Pakistani professionals and laborers after years of banning visas, while Qatar increased its strategic investments by contributing $3 billion to Pakistan's economy With an astounding $10 billion investment in Pakistan s infrastructure logistics and energy sectors the UAE took a more daring stance Additionally
long-standing visa issues were fixed giving Pakistani businesses and expatriates more confidence All of these events pointed to a fresh understanding of Pakistan s potential as a reliable partner and a regional economic center Beijing, Pakistan's longstanding ally, reiterated its steadfast support The Pakistan Air Force was outfitted with the latest J-35 stealth jets in a historic agreement advancing its defense capabilities to the forefront of fifth-generation warfare This important upgrade demonstrated the strength of the strategic alliance between China and Pakistan By investing $2 6 billion to revitalize the historic Pakistan Steel Mills Russia made an unexpected but welcome move that combined industrial renewal with the strengthening geopolitical ties between Islamabad and Moscow The change in Pakistan's relationship with the USA was possibly the most noticeable Washington's strategy had wavered between cautious engagement and outright skepticism for decades In 2025 however the story took a different turn A new era in bilateral relations was marked when the USA began its first-ever extensive trade talks with Pakistan American investors started to see Pakistan as a stable, developing powerhouse with enormous growth potential rather than as a volatile frontier market When the World Bank announced an unprecedented $40 billion investment package praising it as a historic step acknowledging Pakistan s strategic and economic significance, confidence soared Europe also changed its position PIA has been cleared to resume flights across European skies following a four-year grounding due to safety and compliance issues More than just a business triumph, the sight of PIA's green and white tail returning to European airports represented Pakistan's reintegration into the world community and its resiliency and redemption International news outlets also covered Pakistan s technological comeback It was also significant for the planned privatization of the national flagcarrier The Chinese tech giant Huawei teamed up with the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide 100,000 young Pakistanis with training in advanced subjects like artificial intelligence and information technology In addition to providing Pakistan with a workforce prepared for the future, this initiative established Pakistan as a regional leader in technology
In an unexpected development, a cryptocurrency company backed by US President Donald Trump announced a partnership aimed at making Pakistan the crypto capital of South Asia While unconventional this move reflected growing confidence in Pakistan s regulatory and financial infrastructure Simultaneously, a $5 billion trade plan with Turkey
o b a l r e b a l a n c i n g o f p o w e r A n d i f 2 0 2 5 s t r a j e c t o r y i s a n y g u i d e , P a k i s t a n s r i s e i s j u s t g e t t i n g s t a r t e d B e i j i n g , P a k i s t a n ' s l o n g s t a n d i n g a l l y , r e i t e r a t e d i t s s t e a d f a s t s u p p o r t T h e P a k i s t a n A i r F o r c e w a s o u t f i t t e d w i t h t h e l a t e s t J - 3 5 s t e a l t h j e t s i n a h i s t o r i c a g r e e m e n t , a d v a n c i n g i t s d e f e n s e c a p a b i l i t i e s t o t h e f o r e f r o n t o f f i f t hg e n e r a t i o n w a r f a r e T h i s i m p o r t a n t u p g r a d e d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e s t r a t e g i c a l l i a n c e b e t w e e n C h i n a a n d P a k i s t a n B y i n v e s t i n g $ 2 6 b i l l i o n t o r e v i t a l i z e t h e h i s t o r i c P a k i s t a n S t e e l M i l l s , R u s s i a m a d e a n u n e x p e c t e d b u t w e l c o m e m o v e t h a t c o m b i n e d i n d u s t r i a l r e n e w a l w i t h t h e s t r e n g t h e n i n g g e o p o l i t i c a l t i e s b e t w e e n I s l a m a b a d a n d M o s c o w
It will keep the advantage and could expand the target list to kill Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and destroy or disable its energy installations
Israel’s attack is about raw power, not about regional stability or better outcomes
Last Oc tober, Israel took out most of Iran’s advanced air defences, after which Israel became the master of the air and of the clock
pose and power
THE Iranian commanders who fatefully gathered in a Tehran compound or were killed as they slept spent decades building the regional militias, the arsenal of missiles and drones, and the nuclear programme that compelled others to take Tehran seriously
They believed they had found the right formula for the defence of Iran s regime territory and critical infrastructure It was a costly endeavour that alienated many of the country s neighbours and faraway powers and caused havoc in the Middle East, but it gave its leadership an inflated sense of pur-
It took two waves of attacks by Israel to shake the whole edifice Last October, it took out most of Iran’s advanced air defences, after which Israel became the master of the air and of the clock
With Donald Trump entering the White House Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got the acquiescent partner he needed, with an unlimited supply of weapons and intelligence regardless of the horrors he inflicted on Gaza Israel decapitated much of Iran’s military and scientific leadership and destroyed some nuclear and military facilities
Notwithstanding its claim that this was a pre-emptive strike, Israel is the clear aggressor in this case Judging from the subdued western statements, however, this fact no longer seems so meaningful as international law and diplomatic norms erode in plain sight This attack is about raw power not about regional stability or better outcomes for everyone Israel has embarked on a campaign that will necessitate several waves of attacks, the key constraint being the availability of aircraft and the distance between its air bases and targets in Iran The critical facility of
Natanz has been hit hard, but other installations remain intact, notably the Fordow enrichment plant, buried deep beneath a mountain Israel has once again demonstrated undeniable intelligence superiority and operational prowess If confirmed the reports that commando units and drone systems pre-positioned inside Iran were key to the first wave that took out senior commanders and weapons systems suggest that Israel has more tricks up its sleeve It will keep the advantage and could expand the target list to kill Iran s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and destroy or disable its energy installations This will keep the region on edge for weeks to come Having misjudged Israel’s
power Iran has remained behind the curve ever since Hamas s brutal assault on October 7 2023 If it can t defend itself and if the mantra of strategic patience is no longer credible, Tehran has only one option: attack Khamenei issued a typically bombastic threat: “That [Zionist] regime should anticipate a severe punishment By God’s grace the powerful arm of the Islamic Republic s
Netanyahu and Trump are tr ying to have it all
By finally igniting the war the Israeli establishment has been dreaming of for decades, Netanyahu can both work toward achieving the long-term goal of subjugating the region and, in the shor t term, shift domestic and international attention away from the horrors his militar y is committing in Gaza
claimed it was a unilateral Israeli decision but one,
this new warfront as a bold move to preempt a fictional attack from a nonexistent nuclear bomb Netanyahu can even confer the benefits of being a supposed peacemaker driven to reluctant action He will be boosted by the narrative that he is the one pushing for a deal that was good for Israel, despite trying to assassinate one of the primary negotiators, Rear Adm Ali Shamkhani, in one of the strikes on Tehran Trump for his part is also attempting to play both sides Despite Netanyahu s statement claiming U S coordination on the attack Secretary of State Marco Rubio
NEVATIM, TEL NOF, OVDA AIRBASES TARGETED IN IRANIAN MISSILE STRIKES, IRGC CL AIMS
